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Show RAISING CORN OX DRY LAXD IX MILFORD VALLEY By Chas. E. Beard, Milford, Utah One authority on the raising of children said, "The time to begin training -a child is to start with his father." So to raise a good crop of corn you should have started a year ago to plow ten to twelve inches deep in a good loamy soil. This is what is termed summer fallowing to make a dry-farmer's cistern to hold the gentle showers of spring and the torrential rains of summer. If this land has been cultivated and weeds prevented from growing it will contain con-tain moisture to grow a crop. This has left a loose condition of the soil which prevents the sun from drawing draw-ing out the moisture from the surface. sur-face. Cultivation and weeding should have been done several times during the fallow summer, for it requires all the moisture that can be saved for two years in these dry regions to grow one crop of corn. Barnyard manure should have been hauled out on this land during j last fall and winter and then disked deep into the ground this spring. While waiting for the warm days of j May a spike-tooth harrow should been run over the ground to keep it mellow and to check evaporation of moisture after the heaviest rains. This brings us to planting time about May 10th, or apple blossom time in any locality. What has been said will not help this year's crop for those who have not made the previous preparation, but it is applicable appli-cable right now for next year's crop. For dry farming, the lister method of planting is the best. This means that deep furrows are plowed and the seed planted in the bottom. The ridges are then straddled with a harrow which is dragged lengthwise with the rows, pulling in only part of the dirt thrown out by the plow and leaves the field corrugated. This furnishes a protection against soil blowing and is a guard against the corn plant blowing over later after the soil has been hilled up around the plants. Very little seed is needed. Aim to have two stalks about 3 feet in the row and the rows about 3 V2 feet apart. After the corn is up run the harrow up and down the rows. Cul-tivatejor Cul-tivatejor weeds and to keep a mulch after every heavy rain or about every jtwo weeks without rain. |